Temporary
by pawpad
Summary: Hutch recieves a new partner while Starsky is still in the hospital. Chapter 6 now ready for reading.
1. Default Chapter

Temporary

Disclaimer: The only characters in this story that I own, who are worth mentioning is Alan. He is all mine, please go easy on him, he means well.

Monday. It was the day school kids and workmen hated the most. The beginning of a new week, meaning back to work after the joys of spending time at home. It was the day everyone dreaded, unless you were Ken Hutchinson.

Monday didn't mean much to him; it was just another day spent without his partner by his side.

It had been almost three weeks since Starsky had been shot down in the police garage and hospitalised. Hutch had spent the first week by his side nearly every minute of the day, but the doctors and Dobey together got him to leave for a whole day where he crashed and slept for a full 24 hours. During the second week Hutch went home at night and spent at least a few hours everyday away from the hospital. That had been Starsky's order, not Dobey's. On the third week Hutch had to go back to work, although he refused to be given a new partner and took desk duty inside. It was boring and seemed to make the hours go by slower than he thought was possible, but he was rewarded at the end of the day when he got to return to the hospital and visit Starsky. It was the only place that brought a smile to his face and everyone at the station had noticed. His voice had developed into a monotone and the only time he showed any emotion was when the coffee was too hot and burned his mouth.

Hutch sat at his typewriter staring at the words he had typed only a second ago and realised that none of t made any sense. He read it through a few times, but it was like reading a dead language. He took the piece of paper out of the machine and threw it in the bin. Before he could select a new piece Dobey's door opened and his Captains head poked out.

"Hutchinson, in my office now" He said before disappearing back into his office.

Hutch got his feet and made his way into Dobey's office, closing the door behind him.

He didn't notice that there was another person in the room beside himself and the Captain until he took a seat.

The man appeared much younger than Hutch, but there was something in his eyes that said he was no fresh faced youngest, fresh out of the academy. He had short black hair and was rather surprisingly thin.

"Now Hutchinson, first off I'd like to introduce you to Alan Maundrell, he's just transferred here from England"

Alan smiled shyly and offered his hand to Hutch, who shook it hesitantly.

"Nice to meet you" Alan said.

"Likewise"

A moments silence pasted while Dobey rearranged a few things on his desk.

"As you know the department is extremely busy at the moment. Nearly every detective is up to their eyebrows in work, and as you know we have two policemen off sick with the damn flu and your partner's still in the hospital" He paused while he let the information sink in. Hutch merely stared impatiently at the Captain.

"I'm afraid at this time I can't have one of my best detectives on desk duty" Hutch looked at Dobey, then shifted to Alan and then back to Dobey.

"Where are you going with this?" Hutch asked, even though he had a pretty clear idea.

"I need you out on the streets Hutch, but I can't have you out there alone, so I'm assigning Alan as your temporary partner"

Hutch stared across the desk at Dobey, who just stared back. The silence remained for only a minute before Hutch turned his gaze on to Alan.

"I don't suppose you could excuse us for a moment" Hutch asked blankly. Alan nodded.

"If that's o-okay with you Captain" Dobey nodded. Hutch took note of the tiny stutter wondered briefly if it was caused by nerves or natural.

Alan picked up the briefcase by his leg and left the office. The moment the door swung shut Hutch leapt from his chair, slamming his palms on the desk.

"I thought I made it clear three weeks ago that I was NOT accepting a new partner, I already have one"

"You have a partner who is out of action. I'm upset about that almost as much as you, but it can't be helped and I need you on the streets Hutch" Dobey remained in his seat, but his voice carried the same level as anger as Hutch's.

"If that's true then I'll work alone" Hutch lowered his voice so it was low, but harsh.

"No one in this department works alone so you'll take your new partner and get out on the streets right this minute" Hutch pointed his finger in Dobey's direction and clenched his other hand into a fist.

"You can take him and you can stick him" With those last words Hutch turned and headed to the door.

"Hutchinson" Dobey barked, but his only response was the door slamming shut.

* * *

Room 284, a place he had spent many hours in and every moment was cherished, but this was the first time Hutch approached the door was a heavy feeling in his gut.

Immediately after leaving Dobey's office he had marched past his temporary partner and decided to go straight to the hospital. At the time it had felt right, but now that he stood before the door that led to his partner he felt a strong urge to turn around and leave.

A part of him kept telling him he needed to talk to Starsky about Dobey decision to give him a new partner, but a big part of wanted him to keep his mouth shut and just enjoy his visit with his friend. It was this part of him that controlled the hand that opened the door.

It was a familiar scene, in fact there was barely a single time over the past few weeks when Hutch entered the room to find Starsky awake. During the first few weeks he was usually found in a drug induced sleep, but now he was just dozing naturally.

Hutch approached the chair he had spent many hours sitting and sleeping on and sat down.

Unlike most times Hutch had nothing to read with him. Normally he would bring a newspaper or a book to read, but since this was an unscheduled visit he had not brought a thing.

Fortunately he didn't have to wait long, he saw heard a faint moan coming from the bed and he smiled.

Starsky raised a hand to wipe over his tired, pale face before he opened his eyes. The look of surprise that passed over his face was enough to make Hutch's smile grow.

"Hey," Hutch said softly.

"What are you doing here?" Starsky asked sleepily. Hutch pretended to look hurt.

"That's a lovely way to greet a friend" Starsky smiled and wiped a speck of sleep from his left eye.

"Sorry, just didn't realise it was so late in the day" He looked over at the clock by his bed and frowned. "And apparently it ain't"

Hutch clasped his hands together and clamped them between his knees.

"Yeah I guess I am a little early" His eyes fell from his friends face and found the floor instead.

"What's up, Dobey giving you a hard time or something" Starsky said, a look of concern forcing itself upon his face. Hutch didn't look up.

"Yeah something like that" He looked back up and smiled slightly. Starsky frowned.

"What's going on?" He asked. Hutch avoided looking his friend in the eyes as he replied.

"Nothing worth mentioning, um...are you okay, do you want to sit up?" Starsky didn't respond he just stared at Hutch hoping his gaze would some how get Hutch to confess whatever he was clearly hiding.

""Maybe a drink," Hutch suggested.

"How about an answer, a straight one if you can handle it" Hutch busied himself in pouring a glass of water from a pitch that sat on the beside table.

"I told you it's not important" Hutch handed Starsky the glass, but when his partner didn't take it he took a sip of it himself.

"You know throughout my years as a cop I like to think I've gotten pretty good at reading when someone's lying or hiding something, especially you, so kindly dispense with the bullshit and tell me what's going on"

Hutch sighed. He knew he couldn't hide the truth forever, especially from Starsky, but he was still unwilling to speak.

"You certainly woke up in a good mood today" Hutch said quietly, stalling for time.

"Yeah it comes from lying in this stupid bed all day in constant pain, now spill it"

Hutch knew is time had run out so he sucked in a deep breath and let it out,

"Dobey can't afford to keep me on desk duty any longer and I can't take any more time off since I've booked a load when you get out of here so he's...forcing me to hit the streets, with a temporary partner"

It was hard for Hutch to describe the look on Starsky's face. He appeared to be frowning, but judging by the look in his eyes the confession hit hard.

"I told Dobey I wasn't taking a new partner, but he was persistent" He wiped a hand across his face "I don't know what to do"

There was a moment of silence, neither man knowing what else to say. Hutch lowered his head once again and prepared himself for anything Starsky had to say.

"Well" Starsky finally said "First off, could give me a hand sitting up" Hutch practically leapt from his chair to help. He placed his hands under Starsky's armpits and with a little effort and a lot of grunting from both men Hutch managed to get Starsky sitting up.

"Right, now open that draw" Hutch did what he was told, but all he found inside the draw was a book, a few pieces of paper with doodles on and a light blue llama plushie.

"What do you want?" Hutch asked.

"Hand me the Llama" Hutch picked up the blue plush and handed it to his partner.

"Now, this is Deli...What's so funny?" A small chuckle had emanated from Hutch.

"Nothing" Starsky frowned, but continued.

"Anyway, his name is Deli; he likes Burritos, the blond cashier at the bank and the Torino" He handed the Llama to Hutch, who took it a little hesitantly.

"What do you want me to do with him?" He asked. Starsky rolled his eyes.

"Take him with you, look after him. When I get out of here I'll be having him back, but until him he's your new partner behind your temporary partner"

Without a word Hutch placed the Llama in his coat pocket and allowed himself to smile genuinely.

"He'll be safe with me," Hutch said. Starsky closed his eyes and smiled.

"He better or you owe me a new pet"


	2. Chapter 2

Returning to the station had not been Hutch's first decision, but Starsky had convinced him that he needed to speak with his temporary partner to get things straight.

Hutch had reluctantly agreed, but he had spent an hour driving around the city, in an attempt to get his mind sorted and hopefully find the energy to by pleasant to Alan upon his return.

Alan was waiting at Starsky's desk when Hutch entered the squad room. He was looking over a case file that lay open on the desk. Hutch approached him with the best smile he could manage which was barely noticeable under his moustache.

"Hey" Hutch said in a friendly manner. Alan jumped in his chair, almost falling off it.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you" Alan composed himself and stood up.

"No need to say s-sorry" Alan stuttered. Hutch nodded and made his way round the desk to his chair.

"I just want to apologize for earlier. I wasn't really prepared for getting a temporary partner and I just needed to get away for a second, but now that I'm back, let's get to work" Alan picked up the file on the desk and fiddled with the corners.

"Right, w-well, unless you have any o-objections I have a case w-we can work on" Hutch raised an eyebrow, but waited for the man to continue.

"A male body washed up on sea view beach last night. The initial b-belief was that he'd drowned during a late night s-skinny dip, since he was found with no clothes on, but I just picked up the coroners report and it a-appears he was strangled to death" Hutch nodded and took the file from Alan to look over.

"Our first step is to find out who that man was, with no identification on the body we'll need a photo" He flipped through the file "Which this report doesn't have"

Alan took a picture from the little pocket on his shirt and handed it to Hutch. The picture showed a white male around the ages of thirty to forty with short black hair and a tattoo on his neck.

"Our next step is to hit the streets" Hutch said as he pocketed the picture. Alan frowned.

"Um...hit the streets?" Hutch smiled.

"You're British right?" Alan nodded.

"Yes...I've only been in this c-country a few months" Hutch nodded and picked up the file.

"We need to get this picture on the streets, so we can get some information. We'll start with going to Sea View, show the picture around the area he was killed"

"Sounds good to m-me" Alan said as he put his jacket on. Hutch nodded and without waiting for Alan to finish getting ready walked out of the squad room.

* * *

Usually when Hutch worked on a case he welcomed a bit of silence in the car. He didn't usually get it what with Starsky's fondness for talking and humming, but right that second he would have done anything for a bit of banter.

There were a number of questions he had thought to ask the young officer, but judging by the uneasy look on Alan's face he wondered if he'd get an answer that would take hours to finish. After a while he gave up thinking of anything to say and just stared at the blue plush Llama that hung from his mirror. It swayed as the car went a long and at one point Hutch swore the Llama had he same smile as Starsky. He shook that thought off; putting it down to the fact he missed his partner.

"Bay City seems to be a nice p-place" Alan said, taking Hutch completely by surprise.

"It's all right I guess" Hutch replied.

"I was a little n-nervous about moving over here" Alan continued "I heard a lot of stories about the type of things that happen in big c-cities such as this. I m-moved here three weeks ago and on the day I arrived I heard about a cop being g-gunned down in the police garage. At the very prescient I p-planned to work at. I never even found out if the guy lived, but the f-fact that such a thing could happen in a place filled with cops almost scared me r-right back to England"

Hutch had to take a moment to compose himself or else he might have just yelled at Alan the next time he opened his mouth. He glanced once more at the Llama and felt his anger melt away slightly, at least enough to keep his voice civil.

"You might like to know that was my partner"

The look on Alan's face would have made Hutch laugh under normal circumstances, but he kept his eyes on the road. Alan's eyes were as wide as he could get them and his mouth hung open as if he was a Looney Toon character.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't m-mean to...I shouldn't h-have...I mean I-I..."

"It's all right" Hutch said calmly "You weren't to know" Alan fell silent and turned his head to stare out the window.

"Did he...s-survive" Hutch almost didn't hear the quietly asked question.

"Yeah" Was all Hutch was willing to say. He did not feel comfortable talking about it with a stranger.

The rest of the journey was in silence; Alan stared out the window while Hutch watched the road.

They reached sea view point mid afternoon and immediately got to work showing the photos around. They started off knocking on doors and asking if anyone knew the man.

The sun was beginning to set by the time Alan and Hutch caught a break.

"Yeah I know the guy" A tall female who lived in the smallest house by the beach said the moment she saw the picture.

"Can you tell us anything about him?" Hutch asked while taking out his notepad.

"He moved into the house next door just the other day. Only met him once while he was moving his stuff in. He didn't say much" Hutch jotted her words down in short hand.

"Did you get a name?" Alan asked.

"Yeah, Briggs...um, Michael Briggs" Hutch jotted it down. Alan waited as he had run out of questions.

"Anything else you can tell us about him?" Hutch asked. The woman shrugged.

"I figured he was a professor of some kind, he had a lot of equipment, Bunsen burners, test tubes and such stuff" Hutch nodded.

"Thank you very much, you've been a real help" He gave the young lady a smile before turning to walk down the driveway.

"What's the p-plan now?" Alan asked. Hutch looked over at the house next door.

"I'm going to check out Michael Brigg's apartment, you call the station and report what we got so far" Alan nodded and headed back to the car.

Hutch watched the young man and a brief thought entered his head.

"_He's obeying my orders, no question_" He frowned. "Makes a change I suppose" He said out loud.

The front door was slightly ajar Hutch noticed when he raised his hand to knock. He pushed the door open and peered inside. The room was dark, with only a small ray of light slipping in through the gap in the curtains. An odd smell lingered in the air; it was a cross between spices and something that reminded Hutch of a chemistry lab.

He pushed open the door and searched the wall for a light switch. The lights came on and Hutch got a better look at the room. There were boxes everywhere and the odd bit of furniture. On the whole, everything looked...neat. If the man had been taken from his home there was no evidence of force, except the door had been opened.

Hutch made his way across the room to the mantle piece. There were a row of photos, most of them of a young blond woman with a sweet smile. At the end of the mantle there was a picture of the dead man standing next to the blond. Hutch picked up the picture and studied it,

"I called the s-station" Hutch almost dropped the picture as he whirled around to face Alan.

"What...oh good"

"They're sending the crime lab down to c-check out the place" Alan said from his place at the door. Hutch took the picture off the mantle and placed it in his pocket, then turned back to his temporary partner.

"Good" He said and leaned against the wall.

"Better prepare yourself for a bit of a wait" He said with a sigh.

"Evidence ain't going anywhere, why hurry. I r-recon that's there motto" Alan said with a smile which invoked Hutch to smile too, but only slightly.

"Yeah, something like that" Alan gave a nod and left, leaving Hutch to stare at the blank wall in front of him.

"_Give the new guy a mark for having a sense of humor_"


	3. Chapter 3

Leaning against his car with his ankles crossed and a cup of hot coffee in his hands Hutch waited for his 'temporary partner to show up.

The previous day had been long and tiring. The crime lab had taken their time leaving Alan and Hutch to wait for over half an hour. The scene had been dusted and searched, but they found nothing that said much about the guy, only that he moved to Bay City from Boston and he used to be a chemist based on a few letters they found on his desk. All letters and photos were bagged as evidence and after a few words with the Captain; Hutch decided it was time to call it a night.

Sleep had not come to him so easily and he had spent many hours sat up in bed reading in hopes it would lull him back to sleep. After the shooting Hutch had wasted nights staying up watching late night shows or reading, anything to get away from the nightmares that plagued him nearly every night.

The nightmares had returned briefly the following night which was the main reason for Hutch staying up, but that didn't stop him from arriving at the station on time.

He had decided to wait outside his car since every time he entered the squad room people always asked him about his partner and he was getting sick of it.

A call from the other side of the street caught Hutch's attention and looked over to see Alan waving at him. Hutch pushed himself away from his car and waited for Alan to cross the road and join him.

"I'm sorry I'm l-late," Alan said with a shy smile "Just had to g-get something to eat from the shop" He took a bite from his sausage roll and took a sip from his coffee.

"Let's get going" Hutch said bluntly. He made his way round to the driver's side and got in. Alan got in the passenger side after stuffing the remains of his sausage room in his pocket.

"Where do w-we start today" He asked after slamming the door shut. Hutch started the engine.

"We need some information on this dead guy. Ever heard of The Pits?"

Alan shook his head. Hutch smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, just stick we me and you'll be fine"

* * *

The soft music welcomed Hutch when he entered the bar, along with a smile from the tall black man who stood by the bar.

The place wasn't very busy since it was took early in the morning for Huggy's usual clientele to be up. There were the odd person slumped over tables, who looked as though they hadn't left.

"Hey Hutch" Huggy said with a smile "What it is?" Hutch moved over to the bar and took a seat.

"Same as always, in need of your expertise" Huggy smiled and leaned over the bar.

"Lay it on me, but first..." He looked over at Alan who had pulled up a stool beside Hutch. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Alan," Hutch said bluntly. "He's my...temporary partner" Huggy's eyes grew so wide that for a moment Hutch wondered if they weren't about to fall out.

"Gotta say I'm surprised" Huggy said, while he shook the hand that Alan offered.

"Yeah well, I...didn't really have a choice" Hutch kept his eyes staring at the bar, his hand searching for the bar nuts even though he wasn't hungry.

"Well what can the Bear help you with today" He said while taking a glass from underneath the bar.

"Ever heard of a guy named Michael Briggs?" Hutch asked. Huggy whispered the name under his breath while pouring Hutch a beer.

"Not familiar with the name, what's he done?" Huggy asked.

"He died" Hutch replied bluntly. Huggy placed the beer on the bar and leaned over it.

"Murder?"

"That's what it looks like. The body was found washed up on Sea view point" He reached into his pocket to retrieve a photo he'd taken from the man's house. "This is what he used to look like" Huggy studied the picture.

"Can't say I've seen him before, but I'll pass it around. See if anyone might have seen the dude" Hutch nodded while taking a sip of his beer.

"I'm pretty s-sure it's against regulations to d-drink while on duty" Alan spoke up. Hutch took another sip of his beer before turning his head to face Alan.

"I'm taking my lunch break early" He said bluntly. Alan took that as the only answer he was going to get and ordered lemonade.

The two sat in silence while Huggy tended to his other customers. Hutch was more than pleased with the quiet since the car journey to The Pits had been filled with Alan's babble about the prescient he worked in back in England and the way he talked about it Hutch wasn't at all surprised Alan had moved. He talked about his old Captain as if he was a fearful God.

With one last gulp Hutch finished off his beer and climbed off his barstool.

"Look I have some where I need to be for about an hour" He said, while routing around in his pocket for his keys. "Will you be all right here for a bit?" Alan shifted his eyes on to every person who occupied the bar. It was clear by the look in his eyes that didn't want to remain in their presence, but Hutch had no idea what else to do with him.

"Well I-I do have an errand I could r-run while you're gone" Alan said while nervously playing with his empty glass. "I'll meet you back here in an h-hour, kay?" Hutch nodded and gave Alan a parting smile before leaving the bar.

* * *

Before entering room 280 Hutch stopped at the vending machine to get of coffee. It was nasty and tasted more like really bad tea, but it was a drink none the less. He carried the drink with him to Starsky's room and opened the door slowly so not to disturb his partner. Hutch poked his head through the gap and almost jumped into the room at the sight of the empty bed. He flung the door open and opened his mouth to scream for a nurse, but a quiet grunt silenced him. He spotted Starsky sitting up in a wheelchair next to the bedside table. A blanket was draped over his legs and he was wearing his old beige cardigan. The thing that surprised Hutch the most about the whole scene was that Starsky appeared to be asleep.His eyes were closed and he was making soft snoring sounds.

"_You're an odd one buddy_"

Without trying to make any noise Hutch made his way over to the chair beside the bed, but before he could even touch it Starsky's eyes opened a crack.

"Hey" He croaked. He coughed, cleared his throat and then smiled.

"Nice to see you up for a change" Hutch commented, while taking a seat.

"Yeah, got a date with a beautiful blonde, she should be arriving any minute" Hutch chuckled lightly.

"Really"

Starsky nodded. "How do I look?"

Hutch took note of the pale skin, tired eyes and slightly messed up curls.

"You look terrific" Hutch responded with a reassuring smile.

"I hope so"

The door opened and a beautiful blond nurse entered holding a cup of juice.

"Sorry that took so long" She said while running a hand through the stray bits of hair that fell from under her cap. "I'm afraid we were out of orange so I got you apple instead I hope that's all right" She handed the cup to Starsky.

"Apples fine"

The nurse didn't notice Hutch was in the room until she heard a creaking sound and looked over at the chair.

"Oh, sorry Kenny didn't see you there" Hutch forced a smile, but swung his arms behind the chair and clenched his fists.

"That's okay....um" He tried to get a look at her name tag, but she had her back to him, while tucking the blanket snugly round Starsky's waist.

"I'm rather insulted that you can't remember my name," She said with an over dramatic sniff. "I've just decided that you can't come with us on our date" Hutch wiped a hand over his face. He remembered her now. She was the same nurse who used to tease him about sleeping in chairs just after Starsky got out of ICU. She had an odd sense of humor, whish Starsky loved, but Hutch found annoying.

"I'm sorry Linda" He said with the best sweet smile he could pull off. Linda stood up and made her way to the back of the wheelchair.

"All's forgiven, now are you coming or not?"

Hutch got wearily to his feet. Any other day he would have smiled and stayed civil, but today was not one of them.

"Come on Blondie; let's bust out this place together. Burgers are on me"

Hutch sighed, but smiled slightly. It was good to see his partner happy, especially with everything that was going on.

"All right, where to?"

"The garden," Linda suggested. "It's beautiful this time of year" Starsky nodded,

"The garden it is, giddy up" Linda ruffled his hair playfully.

"Much more of that and someone won't be getting there dessert tonight"

Hutch felt the sudden urge to throw them both in the cupboard and lock the door. He had popped by to see his partner and maybe cheer himself up, not watch Starsky flirt. He kept his fake smile all the same.

Linda bent down, unlocked the brake and pushed the wheelchair towards the door.

The garden was out the back of the hospital, right next to a small river. There were very few patients around despite the warm weather. It was something Hutch was thankful for when he stepped out. He took a pair of sunglasses from his top pocket and put them on.

He looked down at this partner and smiled.

Starsky had his head back as far as it would go, basking in the warm sun for the first time in weeks. In the sunlight he looked twice as pale as when he was in doors, but he was smiling and that's all that mattered to Hutch.

"Nice day, huh?" Hutch said

"I heard it was going to rain later, but I don't see a cloud in the sky" Linda said while pushed the wheelchair along the path. Hutch gritted his teeth. "Then again I never trust the weather man, the other day he said..."

"Um...Linda" Hutch interrupted with a forced smile. "Would it be all right if I push the wheelchair, I need to speak to my partner in private? Police business" He hoped that last bit would make Linda less rejected, but she still frowned.

"Well...I guess it's all right, but I'll have to return in about fifteen minutes. He's not suppose to be out for long"

"Hey, if you're not comfortable with Hutch's driving, give me the keys and I'll drive" Linda playfully swatted Starsky round the head.

"If I even sense your hands going near those wheels I'll force a pint of code liver oil down your throat" Starsky cringed at the thought, but smiled like a six year old planning something naughty.

Linda turned back to Hutch and with a reluctant sigh moved away to allow Hutch to gripe the handles.

"I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Don't let him out of your sight and make sure he doesn't get too cold, if you need any help, there's a nurses station just inside the door" Hutch nodded, while Starsky just groaned.

"Why not give him a rocket flare he can shoot off when I get a tickle in my throat" He grumbled. It was Hutch's turn to swat him round the head.

"Hmmm, what should I do if the huge wound under his nose doesn't clear up" Hutch said in a serious tone. Linda giggled.

"We have some heavy gauze in the supply cupboard"

"Hey, are we going for a walk or not" Starsky whined. Linda patted him on the arm.

"All right, have a nice time" She gave Hutch a parting smile and left. Hutch pushed the chair down the path a little and glanced over his shoulder.

"You really should look into getting a different day nurse," He said, while still looking over his shoulder.

"I like her. Did you know she's worked at the hospital for over three years and never once had anyone throw up on her?" Hutch looked down at his partner.

"That's funny since you've been here three weeks and thrown up on every nurse but her" Hutch was unsure of the joke the moment it came out of his mouth, but he was reassured by the soft chuckle that came from Starsky.

"She told me the first week I was here. Didn't want to spoil her record" He leaned his head back so he was staring up at Hutch "Anyway, you said you wanted to discuss police business or was that just a rouse to get rid of my date"

"No rouse. I thought you might want to hear about the case I'm working on" Starsky's eyes sparkled with a long suffocated glee.

"Fill me in. You know I'm a fan of police work"

"A body washed up on Sea view Point the other day. We identified him as Michael Briggs and discovered from going by his house that he's an ex-chemist from Boston. Huggy hasn't heard anything about the guy, but he's doing what he can to find out" Starsky's little smile faded a little at the edges. It was great that Hutch was trying to include him in the case, but every time he said 'we' Starsky couldn't help feeling a pang of envy.

"I'm thinking of talking to Big Benny Short" Hutch continued "He usually knows a thing a thing or two"

"You want to try Fidgeting Phil?" Starsky asked a little too eagerly. Hutch raised an eyebrow,

"Who's he?"

"He's a snitch, well sort of. He's more of a nosy neighbor type, but he lives around Sea view Point and one of his hobbies is to stalk his neighbors and collect information for some weird little fetish he has" Hutch stopped the wheelchair, next to a tree and stared down at his friend.

"How come I've never heard of him?" Hutch asked.

"I've only asked for his help twice, plus he's not called fidgeting Phil for nothing. He can't stand being in the same room or the same building with more than one cop. The first time I talked to him was..." He paused to avert his eyes "When Forest had you"

Hutch nodded. That was the last subject Hutch wanted to approach at that particular moment.

"Where does he live, I might have to pop by if you think he could help" Starsky nodded and let his smile return to his face.

"Sure, when I have access to some paper" He paused, the smile sagging once again.

"How's it working out with the new guy?" He asked as causally as he could manage.

"Can't say I've ever meet a cop like him" Hutch said with a sigh. Starsky was unsure who to take that and waited for more. "I sometimes wonder how he made it to sergeant. The guys nervous, twitchy and he's got this stutter that didn't both me at first, but every now and again I swear he's...what?" Starsky was chuckling, but by the distant look in his eyes it appeared he was laughing to himself. "What's so funny?"

Starsky snapped himself out of his little world in order to look up at Hutch.

"Nothing really, just glad this guys irritating you" Hutch frowned.

"Oh, you like seeing me annoyed, huh?"

"I'd rather that than you raving about the guy" He said more seriously. Hutch wiped away his frown.

"No I do that when you're asleep" He teased, hoping Starsky didn't take offence.

Starsky gave an amused snort.

"Well that's all right then"

Hutch bent down by the wheelchair and locked the wheels securely. He stayed in his crouched position. He had picked a nice spot to stop. The tree shaded the hot sun rays, but didn't stop them from bouncing off the water that flowed through the river. There were barely any people around to spoil the sweet bird song that filled the air.

Hutch sat down on the grass, his arms resting on his bent knees and smiled.

Starsky watched his partner with a smile of his own. The sun was doing wonders for them both, but there was one thing it couldn't help. Pain rippled through Starsky's abdomen and he bit his lip in a futile attempt to stifle the on coming groan. Hutch heard it and whipped his head round just in time to see his partner wince.

"Hey buddy, you all right" He was on his feet before Starsky answered.

"Yeah, I'm fine" Starsky voice was slightly strained. Hutch kneeled beside the wheelchair and looked closely as his partner. He saw the sweat starting to trickle and the look of pain in those blue eyes, no matter how hard he tried to hide it,

"Should I get the nurse?" He asked, even though he had an idea what the answer would be.

"I said I'm fine, terrific even"

"You're in pain" Hutch stated as he rose to his full height. "I'm getting the nurse" He turned around, but was stopped from taking a step by a hand snagging his arm.

"No" Hutch looked down at the hand and followed it back to the owner. "I just want to stay out a little longer. I'm tired of being cooped up in doors all day like a sick child"

"Starsk, you are a sick child" Hutch said a little louder than he meant. Starsky withdrew his hand and sagged heavily in the chair.

"If you get the nurse she'll send me straight back to my room and I don't want that, please Hutch" He stared up at his partner with a look that almost broke Hutch's heart. There was still pain there, but also a look or pure desperation. Hutch sighed.

"What am I going to do with you?" He sat back on the grass, keeping his eyes on Starsky, who smiled slightly.

"Sit with me for starters, and then later maybe we can go dancing" Hutch chuckled, while leaning his shoulder against a wheel.

"Five minutes, that's the best you're going to get"

Starsky reached down and ruffled the fine blond hair earning him a grunt, but no further comment. He sat back in his chair and watched the sunlight dance on the water, a hand on his partners shoulder and smile on his face.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

The building left something to be desired, a window that wasn't broken perhaps, or a lick of paint, but it was exactly the sort of place Hutch expected to find the snitch.

Starsky had given him all the details on Fidgeting Phil just before Hutch had to leave the hospital, but he left out one detail and that was what Hutch was suppose to do with Alan.

Upon returning to the pits Hutch had found his 'temporary partner' still sat at the bar talking to Huggy. The guy had almost hit the roof when Hutch crept up behind him and patted his shoulder.

"So, what is a s-snitch exactly?" Alan's question tore Hutch's eyes from the building.

"Don't you have them in England?" Hutch asked back.

"We have informants" Hutch nodded.

"Well snitches are basically the same thing. They give us information, but some can be a pain to have to deal with, which brings me to this guy" Hutch turned to he was facing Alan straight on. "I need to go in alone. I want you to take the car and hide it a few blocks from here, there should be an old meat factory where you can park. Judging by what I've heard about this guy he's very paranoid" Alan smiled at the term, but nodded.

"How l-long will you be?"

Hutch handed Alan the keys. "That depends on him" He gestured to the car with his head and watched Alan get in behind the wheel. It took a couple of attempts until Alan got the engine running and once he did the car lurched forwards so suddenly that Hutch almost fell over with surprise.

"Take it easy" He yelled, but the car was already screeching down the street. Hutch shivered at the thought of his car in the hands of such a bad driver and for a moment he wondered if Alan even had a driver's license, but he put all that side and turned to the building.

The inside was not much better than the outside, in fact it was worse. There was a horrible stench that reminded him of crime scenes where dead bodies were found. The walls were painted puke green and were chipped in more places than Hutch could count.

Making his way down the corridor Hutch kept his eyes on ever door. Very few of them had numbers on, but Starsky had assured Hutch that Phil's had a sign on his saying. "The milkman never stops here; don't ever ask me for milk"

The found the sign at the end of the first floor corridor. It was written in big black letters and had a few stains that looked like old dried tobacco.

Hutch knocked once and leaned against the wall beside the door. He could hear movement behind the door, but it didn't open. He knocked again a little louder.

"Phil" He called. There were more sounds, then a quiet voice saying words Hutch couldn't make out. "I need to talk to you" There was a long moment of silence when not a sound was heard. The thought that maybe Phil had climbed out the window popped into Hutch's mind, but it vanished when the door opened just a crack. A set of brown eyes stared out at Hutch, who smiled ever so slightly.

"Yes, what?" A squeaky voice asked.

"I'm Ken Hutchinson. I need to speak with you" The door opened a little more.

"Ken, Ken….Hutchinson, a cop" He slammed the door. "No cops' today thank you" Hutch knocked on the door again.

"You know my partner, Dave Starsky" The door opened slightly again.

"Starsky, David, yes I know him"

"He said you could help me. I'm alone" There was a pause. He could hear Phil breathing heavily and muttering very quietly. The door opened far enough for Phil to poke his head round. He was a short man, with shaggy black hair and squinty little eyes. He reminded Hutch of most of the snitch he and Starsky knew, right down to the nervousness.

"You want information, you come to me for that, what else?" He spoke fast and his voice reminded Hutch a little of Yoda from the Star Wars movies.

"Yes, are you willing to help me?"

Phil looked up and down the corridor and seemed satisfied that there was no one else around. He grabbed Hutch's arm and pulled him inside, slamming the door instantly.

"You partner, Starsky, sent you here" He said while walking over to the window and peering out. "He was shot, yes, badly"

Hutch nodded, but he refused to say anything on the matter, it was not what he was here for.

"I need some information on a Michael Briggs," He said bluntly. Phil stayed by the window, he's eyes still staring out through the glass.

"Thirty eight, short black hair, bird tattoo on his neck, green eyes, very deep voice" Hutch didn't need to check the photo to know that Phil had described the man to a T.

"I'm guessing you know him," Hutch said. Phil jumped away from the window and made his way over to his desk, where huge piles of papers were taking over the surface.

"Not know him, seen him, he lives at Sea View Point" He picked up a piece of paper, but threw it on the floor.

"He used to live at Sea View Point. Now he's taken up residency at the local morgue" Phil didn't look up from his desk.

"He's either dead or a lonely mortician" He burst out laughing at his own pathetic joke, but silenced himself once he had found what he'd been looking for. "You desire information on Michael Briggs" He griped the sheet of paper he held so tightly he almost ripped it.

"Yes" Hutch replied simply.

"I can give you it, but…but you can't use…you can tell…" He paced the room, still holding the paper. "Your partner, he knows, you don't, he knows. You can't tell, you can't be told, you can't find out" His anxiety seemed to escalate with every length he paced and Hutch was at a loss for what to do.

"Look, um…I don't really know anything about you and I don't need to know anything. All I'm interested in is the information on Michael Briggs" He spoke calmly in an attempt to put Phil at ease and it half worked. Phil slowed his pacing, but he was still breathing heavily.

"You don't want anything else?" He asked timidly. Hutch shook his head and smiled in an attempt to reassure Phil. It appeared to work, the man handed the paper to Hutch.

"A list of all the people I've seen enter his house. He gets a lot of them, yes" Hutch scanned over the list, one of the names jumped out at him and poked at his memory.

'Jane Thomas' A sweet young girl who often ran into the law when she needed the money to feed her heroin addiction.

"I have pictures too" Phil said. He went over to his desk and fiddled around a bit more before producing an envelope.

"These people have visited him since he moved in. Busy, busy man" Hutch took the envelope and took out the pictures. He flicked through them, only recognizing Jane, but it was a start.

"Thank you Phil" Hutch dug in his pocket for a few notes which he handed to Phil. The man took them a little hesitantly, but smiled at them.

"You nice" He put the money in his pocket and fiddled with his fingers nervously. "But you leave now, yes?"

Taking his eyes off the pictures Hutch nodded.

"Yes, thank you again"

* * *

After an exhausting half hour of trying to explain to Alan why they weren't arresting Phil for stalking people Hutch drove back to the station to fill Dobey in on the case, but first he had to make a phone call.

"Did I wake you?" Hutched asked into the phone while fiddling with the blue llama that now sat on his desk.

"Nah" Starsky said sleepily. Hutch bit his lip. He knew that tone, he had woken Starsky up, but his partner just didn't want him to feel guilty. "What's up?"

"Just thought you'd like to hear how it went with Phil"

"Was he of help?" Starsky asked, no longer sounding the least bit tired.

"Yeah, got a few names of people who see Michael Briggs including Jane Thomas, you remember her right"

"Sure, nice blond, a little ditzy" Hutch nodded.

"That's the one, well it appears she's seen him twice since he moved in and according to these pictures she always looks very jittery. I'm going to track her down later today"

"You think this guy's a drug dealer?' Starsky asked. Hutch paused, while he mulled the idea over.

"It's possible, but we never found any drugs at his house apart from the usual medical cabinet stuff"

"Maybe that's what he was killed for. Some strung out kid looking for a fix, but couldn't pay for it, killed this Michael Briggs and took the drugs" Hutch smiled. It was good to hear the enthusiasm back in his partner's voice.

"That's a possible scenario, one I plan to pursue"

There was the sound of another voice on the line, but Hutch couldn't quite make out the words. He could tell by the tone that it was Linda.

"Well speaking for drugs, it's the happy time of the day when I get mine" The enthusiasm was gone from his voice, but Hutch smiled all the same.

"Have a nice trip" Hutch said. That earned him a slight chuckle, but not much more.

"Let me know how things turn out"

"I shall, take it easy" He hung up the phone with a heavy heart. He knew the drugs they pumped into Starsky were necessary for his recovery, but it was Starsky's feelings toward them that effected Hutch more strongly. He picked the llama up and stroked its soft fur.

"You ready to see a junky, Deli" He asked. The plush gave no reply, but Hutch nodded as if it had.

"Good"

TBC


	5. Chaper 5

The little white house stood out among the others down the street. The colour among other things and the roses that grew around the porch, made it stand out. Hutch hadn't expected to find such a nice house in an area of the city that was known for its riots and vandalism, but after so many years on the force he'd learned not to get so easily surprised.

Seeing a small beat up car in the driveway Hutch assumed someone was in and knocked on the door without hesitation. It took a while to get a response, but the door opened and a short blond girl stared out through the half open crack.

"Hello," A timid voice said just loud enough for Hutch to hear. He produced his badge and smiled slightly.

"Jane Thomas, I'm detective Hutchinson, I believe we've met before" Jane squinted at the ID inside the wallet.

"You were the cop who arrested Marty when he needed a fix, right?" Hutch nodded and watched as the door closed a little.

"That's right, but I'm not here to bust you, I just want to talk to you"

Jane stared down, watching her bunny slippers shuffle against the carpet.

"What do you want to know?" She asked.

"Can I come in?" Hutch asked in return.

"I'd rather you didn't, I….What do you want to know?" Hutch reached into his pocket and took out the picture of Michael Briggs.

"You were seen at this man's house, do you know him?" The tense look that griped Jane's face answered Hutch's question. "Is he a drug dealer?"

Jane turned away, her left foot almost kicking the door shut. "You are here to bust me"

Hutch pushed the door open fully and grabbed her by the shoulders before she could get further away from him.

"No, honestly I'm not here to bust you, but I know that you've been to this man's house and I want to know why, that's all"

Jane didn't move for a moment, her hands shaking with either fear or withdrawal. She avoided looking at Hutch's face, but she snatched the photo from his hand and looked more closely at it.

"Is…is he dead?' She asked hesitantly. Hutch nodded. She threw the photo on the ground and leaned against the wall. Hutch let go of her and waited for her to continue.

"He was my only source" She said with a sniff. "I was finding it hard to find the money for other…dealers, but his prices were not so bad" She bit the end of one of her long finger nails and spat it on to the floor.

"His stuff was good too, real good"

"Do you have any idea who might want to kill him?" Jane snorted.

"Nearly ever other dealer in town. He didn't work for anyone, his prices were lower than average. I know it wouldn't be long before someone got to him"

"Can you be more specific? Anyone you know who had a stronger grudge against him" Jane shook her head.

"No, but my old dealer is angry. He didn't like me switching to someone else" Hutch stepped a little closer, but made sure he gave her space.

"Who was your old dealer?"

Jane shoved her thumb nail in her mouth, her eyes wide and staring blankly at the ground.

"Can't say, he'll kill me"

Hutch touched her arm gently, just enough to get her eyes to focus at him.

"He won't know you said a word" He tried to convey his sincerity through his words and judging by the way Jane's face relaxed a little it appeared to work.

"Blake" She whispered, as if the man she was talking about could hear her if she talked louder. "Donald Blake"

The name was familiar, but it still took Hutch a moment to recall why. It came to him like a shot of electricity to the brain.

"He was the guy we busted you with the first time, only all the evidence was planted on you not him, so he got off" Jane nodded slowly.

"I went back to him afterward because his prices were still lower than others, but I ran in to Michael when I needed a fix, but didn't have enough money to go to Donald. He helped me out. Now, I don't know what to do"

Hutch squeezed her shoulder slightly, in a way he hoped was comforting rather than anything else.

"Get some help, you need it"

Jane stared up at Hutch, a few tears starting to show in her eyes, but she smiled slightly and forced them back.

"Easier to say than do" She pushed herself away from the wall and held the door open for Hutch, who took that as his cue to leave, but before he did he took ten dollars out of his pocket and placed it in Jane's hand.

"I'll come back soon and if this hasn't gone towards quitting, you owe me ten bucks" He gave her a parting smile before leaving the house.

Once outside the door he stopped by his car and thought about his next move. He needed to get over to Donald's place for a little 'chat', but it just occurred to him that he had left without Alan. The guy was probably having a fit, but Hutch could work up the energy to care. He unlocked the door, but something slamming on the roof made him jump and drop his keys. He looked up and saw Alan standing on the other side of the car panting as if he'd just sprinted from a long distance.

"Didn't think I'd c-catch you" He gasped, desperately trying to get his breathing under control.

"How did you find me?" Hutch asked nonchalantly as he picked up his keys

"When I couldn't find you at the o-office I asked Dobey w-where you were and he didn't know. I checked your d-desk and saw Jane Thomas' name circled. I got the a-address and I came. Now I'd l-like an explanation for why you d-ditched me" His tone was harsh, but there was a nervousness in his eyes, which made Hutch wondered if the kid could stand up against one raised word.

"I forgot, sorry"

Alan's cheeks flushed.

"You forgot, we've been working together all day and you f-forgot. I'm starting to think you don't w-want me around" Hutch had the sudden urge to say he didn't, but he shoved that thought away and simple said. "Well, I didn't ask for a temporary partner"

Alan gasped as if he'd been punched in the gut. The fact was true and he knew it, but it didn't make the statement hurt any less.

"T-that maybe t-true, but the f-fact r-remains, I am s-still your p-partner and I don't l-like you d-d-ditching me w-w-whenever you feel fit to d-do so" His stutter seemed to get worse as he voice rose. Hutch did not have the time or the patients to deal with this.

"Then why don't you go cry to somebody who cares because I can't seem to find the energy too. I just want to solve this case anyway I can and if that means going alone at times then so be it"

"If that's the way you usually work I really pity your old partner" The words were out before Alan could control his tongue and the look the words invoked almost knocked Alan to his knees. Hutch's eyes had turned cold and he raised a finger that pointed at Alan.

"You say another word about my partner and I swear I beat the living hell out of you right this second and blame it on a drunk. You are NOT my partner and you never will be so get out of my life" He opened the car door with such power it nearly came off in his hand. He got in the car and started the engine so fast Alan barely had time to move away before the car shot off down the road.

TBC

(Sorry about the short chapter and the long wait, but I've been busy)


	6. Chapter 6

Donald Blake was known in the drugs world for holding meetings in the weirdest of places. Sometimes he'd arrange to meet in the back of an amusement park, sometimes the non fiction section of a library. It had been these weird meeting places that had contributed to his arrest with Jane, but he continued to use them. He would tell people it was his quirk and that all good dealers needed them.

Hutch knew about Donald's quirks, but he also knew that the dealer spent most of his time in an empty bus station waiting room. Hutch had never been able to prove it when Donald was first busted, but he knew that this was where he hid the drugs, he just never found out where.

Getting out of the car swiftly Hutch took in his surroundings before he shut the door. He still felt wound up over the argument with Alan, but now was not the time to dwell on it. He had to close this case and Donald was the key, he knew it.

The bus station had been abandoned years ago after a fire and was now a place where kids came to skateboard. Luckily the place was empty of kids, but Hutch had a sense that he was not alone. He walked away from his car slowly, sweeping his eyes over the area.

He reached the main door that was falling off it's hinges and paused in the doorway.

The waiting room smelled of urine and there was graffiti all over the walls.

"Admiring the view"

Hutch spun around, his hand going straight for his weapon, but he relaxed a little when he saw Donald standing a few feet behind him.

"Donald Blake," Hutch stated.

"Yes, that's me. Can I help you in anyway, Detective Hutchinson?"

"You remember me" Hutch took his hand way from his weapon, but he remained on edge, ready to jump for it if he needed to.

"Of course. May I ask if I have done something or if this is a social call?"

Hutch instantly didn't like the casual way Donald was speaking.

"I just have a few questions to ask" Hutch said calmly "Do you know of a man named Michael Briggs" Hutch noticed the slight lose of colour from Donald's face and wasn't surprised when he bowed his head.

"No, I've…never heard of him. Should I?"

"I think you should. He was a drugs dealer, like yourself. Apparently he was taking clients away from you. I'd say that's a good reason to kill him"

"You have no proof" The words were out of his mouth before he could think. All the casualness had gone and Hutch could see the man for what he was, a scared child. He was barely over 25.

"If you did do it, you'd better admit to it now. Things will go easier for you"

Donald appeared to build back enough confidence to smile slightly, but Hutch could see it was an act; there was still fear in the kid's eyes.

"I have nothing to confess, you can't trick me into admitting something I didn't do"

Hutch took a step closer to Donald, who shrunk a little bit away.

"Well, if you want to play it that way, I'll just have to go back to the station, collect all the officers I can and tare this place apart until we find what we need to put you away" He kept his voice low, but firm. Donald started sweating and his eyes darted about.

"Do you want to admit anything?" Hutch asked. Donald slowly turned his back, but all of a sudden he reached into his pocket to draw out a gun, but Hutch recognised the action and jumped at the man, grabbing his hand.

Donald brought his other hand up to hit Hutch round the head, but the detective blocked that with his other arm. With both hands keeping Donald's arms away from him, it was a battle of strength between the two men. Donald had the youthful energy to his advantage, but not Hutch's years of experience.

It was Hutch who got the advantage after a few minutes, managing to squeeze Donald's fingers hard enough to force him to drop the gun.

With the gun out of his hands Donald began to thrash around like a mad man, bringing his knee up to land it in Hutch's stomach. The detective managed to stay on his feet and keep the grip on Donald's other arm, but the wind was knocked out of him. Donald tried following it up with another, but Hutch reacted first, letting go of his arm to thump his fist into Donald's face.

"Hutch" Alan's voice came from behind. Hutch briefly glanced over his shoulder to see Alan stood by a car, holding his gun in his shaking hands.

The distraction was enough to give Donald the chance to get a hand around Hutch's throat.

Alan almost jumped at the sight of seeing his 'partner' in such a hold, but his trembling legs routed him to the spot. He held his gun up higher and aimed it at Donald, but he couldn't stop his hands from shaking. He took a moment to calm himself, but the sight of Hutch's face turning slightly blue as his throat was slowly being crushed just raised his anxiety level. He took his aim again, made sure it was as accurate as possible and fired.

The discharge made him jump and at that moment he realised he had closed his eyes. Looking back at the scene before him he saw Donald had turned at the same moment Alan had fired and now he stood looking over Hutch, who was lying on the ground.

There was a moment of silence as Alan stared at the blood he could see forming under Hutch's body. He was frozen at the sight, giving Donald the chance to pick up his own gun and point it at Alan.

"Not a good cop are you" Donald said, the feel of his gun giving him back his confidence. Alan just stared at Hutch, his gun trembling so much it was a wonder it hadn't fallen to the ground.

"Now I'm getting out of here and you are not stopping me or else I'll shoot you, understand?" Donald walked sideways away from both officers, but keeping his gun on Alan.

"I c-c-can't let y-you…go" Alan said pulling his attention away from Hutch and on to Donald.

"You really think you can shoot me with those trembling hands, you'd be lucky to graze me" Alan used everything he had to stop his hands from shaking, but it didn't work. His hands wouldn't do what he told them to, but he kept the gun on Donald. He slowly pulled back the trigger, but it wasn't his gun he heard discharge. For a second he feared Donald had fired, but he swept his eyes over his body and found no wound. He looked back at Donald and found him lying on the ground, clutching his shoulder.

Alan looked back at Hutch who was looking over at the fallen man, his gun still aimed at him.

"Alan" He said his voice quivering in pain "Call the police and an ambulance…Now" Alan didn't wait to be asked twice, he ran back to his car to do just as he was told.

* * *

They stopped outside the door, neither one of them wanting to go inside, neither one of them wanting to be the one to tell the injured officer what had happened.

"Do you think we should tell him now?" Huggy asked the Captain. "Shouldn't we wait until we know what happened" Dobey sighed. He had just entered the hospital on his way to visit Starsky for a moment when he'd received the call that Hutch had been shot while trying to apprehend a suspect. He had planned to go back to the station, but he wanted to be at the hospital when Hutch arrived so he could assess how bad it was.

"I don't think it makes much of a difference when he's told, but it would be better to wait until we know the extent of Hutch's injuries" He a hand over his tired face. "Besides, he's probably asleep anyway"

"No, he ain't" Came a quiet voice from inside the room. Dobey pushed open the door to find Starsky gazing at him. "You know the doors around here aren't sound proof" Dobey entered the room leaving Huggy outside.

"How are you feeling, son?" Dobey asked with the best smile he could fake.

"What happened to Hutch?" Starsky asked in return. Dobey looked down at the shiny floor and bit the inside of his lip.

"We don't know. The ambulance hasn't arrived yet. All we know is…he was shot"

Starsky wrestled with the sheet trying to throw it off, but Dobey grabbed his hand.

"Starsky, you are not getting out of bed," He said firmly. "That's an order"

"I need to be there when they bring him in" He said firmly as he fought against Dobey's restraining hands with no success. Even though Dobey was trying to be gentle so not to cause Starsky anymore pain he still managed to out match Starsky's strength.

"If you don't stay down I'll have someone restrain you then you'll never get to see Hutch" That did it. Starsky stopped struggling and went limp in Dobey's arms.

"I need to be there, please," Starsky begged, not caring how pathetic he sounded. Dobey had to look away at that point, if he hadn't he would have given in.

"I know you do, but you can't in your condition, you'll have to wait until we get confirmation on his condition" Starsky turned his head away, so he was staring at the window.

"You'll let me know the minute you hear anything right" He said firmly. Dobey nodded.

"You have my word" He released the young man from his grip and straightened out his sleeves. "You need your rest. I'll be back later" With that he turned and walked towards the door. He paused for a moment to look back at the man in the bed, but he was still staring at the window lost in his own world of worry. Dobey sighed and left.

Now that he was alone Starsky looked back at the door, he could just about hear Dobey's departing footsteps, along with Huggy's. He waited a moment longer, before he pulled back the covers and carefully swung his legs over the bed. It wasn't an easy task since every movement sent waves of pain through his chest and back. He sat on the edge of the bed, breathing harshly, and waited for the pain to ease. It never did. He almost collapsed back on the bed, but the thought of Hutch lying hurt in a speeding ambulance was enough to force him up onto his feet.

Unfortunately his legs turned to jelly and he nearly fell to his knees, but he grabbed the bedside table for support. He managed to keep himself on his feet, but he wasn't sure if he could move away from the bed. Every breath felt like he was inhaling millions of tiny needles.

The first step he took away from the bed was agonising and small. With each step he felt the strength in his legs fade away, but he managed to make it to the wall, where he had to stop. He leaned against it for support and tried to get his breathing under control.

"_You can do this_" His mind told him.

"Oh sure" He panted.

Leaning against the wall for support he edged his way forwards, towards the door. It was not easy, his legs wanted to fold up and collapse, but wouldn't let them. He used most of his strength to keep himself standing while he used the rest to keep him going.

By the time he reached the door, his weak legs came as a secondary concern compared to his aching chest and abdomen. Every movement he made pulled on the incisions and he thought it was a miracle he hadn't split his stitches.

Slowly he poked his head round the door and looked both ways. He found one nurse with her back to him and another nurse right down the other end of the corridor. His bedroom was luckily right next to the elevator, but what was a couple of steps to a normal person was a marathon to Starsky.

Using the door frame for support he moved out of his room, into the corridor and still using the wall to lean against, made his way very slowly towards the elevator.

With every step he took he could feel his strength rush away from him, slowing him down further, until he got a few feet from his door and had to stop. His legs refused to let him go even one step further and the pain in his chest was getting worse by the minute.

On top of those major concerns his head was starting to spin from being up right too long with hardly any energy. He closed his eyes for what he expected to be just a brief moment to get rid of the spinning sensation, but he couldn't open them again.

The pain squeezed the breath out of him and his world started to spin out of control and before he could think of anything to do to fix his problems he blacked out

TBC

(Last Chapter to arrive soon)


	7. Chapter 7

Hearing was the first thing that came back to him, but all he heard was the soft brushing of fabric against fabric. He tilted his head slightly to the sound, but it stopped abruptly and he felt something cold touch his arm.

"David, can you hear me?" A voice soft, contrasting with the firm grip on his arm. Starsky recognised it as Linda's voice, and he assumed she was the one touching him.

With all the strength that had returned he opened his eyes and looked up into the dark eyes of the nurse. It was only when his eyes were fully open that he noticed something was over his nose and mouth. He reached a hand up to pull it away, but Linda caught his hand.

"Hey, I'll be the one who decides when that can come off" She said firmly, but with the trace of a soft smile around her lips. "And I've decided now is the right time" She took the oxygen mask away from Starsky's face.

"What happened?" Starsky's voice was raspy, so he coughed once to try and clear it.

"You did a very foolish thing, do you remember what?"

A few spots of memory came back, but nothing that made much sense. He saw the image of Dobey leaning over him telling him something. His words came back to him slowly.

"_All we know is…he was shot_"

"Hutch" Starsky said, grabbing Linda's arm suddenly, but that movement sent waves of biting pain along his whole body.

"I see you do remember" Linda continued with a stern expression "We found you unconscious in the middle of the corridor. You're Captain guessed you'd try to get to the elevator" She lifted a finger and let it hover over Starsky's face.

"That was a very foolish thing to do. You managed to split more than a couple of stitches and gave us all a bit of a scare, but you're very lucky you didn't pull anything internally"

"I just needed to see Hutch. Please tell me, is he all right?" Linda's face softened after staring at Starsky's pleading eyes for longer than a few seconds. She sighed and leaned closer to him.

"I'll let you see your partner, but only on one very stern condition" She made sure she had Starsky's complete attention before she continued. "You never ever try something like that again. If you do I may have to convince the doctor to either keep you restrained or sedated. Now do you promise to stay put and be a good boy?" Starsky nodded feverishly.

"Yes, I promise"

"Swear"

Starsky placed a hand over his heart. "On my badge, now please can I see him?"

Linda smiled.

"All right, but only for a little while" She stepped away from the bed and waved a hand at a figure sat behind her. Starsky turned his head to see Hutch sitting in a wheelchair with a small smile. There was an IV in his arm that run up to a bag hanging from a pole attached to the wheelchair and Starsky could just make out a bulky bandage protruding from underneath the gown, over his right thigh.

"Hey Buddy," Hutch said cheerfully. Starsky took his eyes off Hutch's leg long enough to smile back.

"You're all right?"

Hutch chuckled at the question, but when he caught the look in his partner's eyes he automatically stopped.

"Of course I am. The bullet went right through my leg. No serious damage, I'll be fine"

Linda patted Starsky on the arm with a warm smile.

"See, nothing to worry about. Now, I'll leave you both alone, but I'll be back in a few minutes to take Ken back, so you both can get some rest" She waved as she exited the room. Hutch gave her a pleasant departing smile, but once the door was closed it dropped it and turned back to Starsky.

"I don't quite know how to feel about what you did," He said slowly. Starsky took a deep breath, but winced knowing that hadn't been a good move.

"I was just…you know a little concerned. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get hold of a good partner?"

"Please don't mention…." The creaking of the door hinges stopped Hutch's line of thought. Alan's head poked through the gap and his timid voice was only barely heard.

"Can I-I come i-in?"

Starsky gave a weak gesture of welcome, while Hutch just pasted on a smile.

"Sure"

Alan took a step big enough to get him through the door, but didn't venture any further.

"Um…Alan, this is my partner, David Starsky, Starsk this is Alan…um…sorry I forgot your surname" Alan smiled a little, but seem to catch what he was doing and hung his head.

"I w-wanted to c-come b-by and a-a-apologise for…w-well, what I d-did"

Hutch barely made out what he said, but enough to understand what Alan was trying to say.

"What did you do?" Starsky asked. Hutch cleared his throat and opened his mouth, but instead of talking he cleared it again.

"I was the o-one who s-s-shot him"

If Starsky had the strength he would have sat up in bed to get a better look at Alan, but the best he could do was glare from where he lay.

"Why did you do that?" Starsky asked coldly.

"Hey, Starsk, it was an accident," Hutch said keeping his voice calm and in control. "He was aiming for the guy I was fighting with, but the guy moved at the same moment Alan fired. It was all just an accident"

Alan raised his head a little, just enough to make eye contact with Hutch. He didn't dare to look at Starsky even though the injured detective had softened his expression some what.

"You a-aren't mad at me?" Alan asked, entwining his fingers. Hutch shook his head and smiled to prove his point.

"No, we got the guy, I'm going to be fine and that's the main thing"

Alan lifted his head up a bit more and a smile came from somewhere, but just a small one.

"Thank you…I'm s-sorry again, but thank you" His hand fumbled with the door handle.

"I better b-be off. I have a r-report to write up"

Starsky gave him a small parting wave while Hutch just kept smiling.

Once Alan was out of the door Hutch carried on staring at the door, his smile still there.

"You know something Starsk?" He said quietly, "that kid did me a favour" Starsky raised his eyebrows and waited for Hutch to continue.

"With my leg out of action, by the time I get back on my feet, you'll be out of here and my vacation will beginning and the best thing about that is" He looked around to stare directly at Starsky, his smile gone in a flash. "I will no longer have to work with a temporary partner. You don't know how good that is to say"

Starsky snorted, the closest he could come to a laugh without causing pain.

"See there is always a bright side to being shot, I just never found it"

Hutch wasn't sure how to respond to that so he just folded his hands on his lap and looked down at his injured leg.

"So, now that you won't be working with a temporary partner anymore, can I have Deli back?"

Hutch was not prepared for the question and for a moment wondered who Deli was, but the memory of the fluffy plushie returned and he smiled.

"Oh, well, we had a little chat the other day and he decided that he'd like to stick with me for a while. We had a great time together"

The stricken look on Starsky's face nearly made Hutch burst out laughing, but he kept his face natural.

"You're kidding right?"

"No, in fact the day you gave him to me we went for a nice drive and he enjoyed it and you know what, he had no complaints about my car"

That hit Starsky hard, leaving him speechless for a second.

"Okay, now you're just trying to give me a heart attack, no thing on this earth can enjoy driving in your car, let alone go near it" Hutch turned the wheels of his chair so he was face away from Starsky, it was the only thing he could do or else he would have laughed.

The pleasant feeling of being able to banter with his partner like odd times cancelled out the pain in his leg and for the first time since it happened, he was glad Alan had been his partner, he'd taught Hutch a valuable lesson. Appreciate your partner, every little thing about them just in case you end up with someone like Alan.

TBC

I was going to end it there, but I've been advised to add in an epilogue, so I shall.


End file.
